Grade Levels: 6-8, 9-12

*Click to open and customize your own copy of the Metric Units Lesson Plan.

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Metric Units, and supports the standard of converting different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Ask students: 

  • How is the number .1 related to the number 1? 
  • What can you multiply 10 by to get 1,000?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Read aloud the description on the Metric Units topic page
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Have students read one of the Related Reading articles. Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Students take the Metric Units Challenge and Quiz, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about metric units while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs. 

  • Make-a-Movie: Create a tutorial that answers this question: How do you convert between metric units?  
  • Make-a-Map: Make a concept map identifying the different metric units and explaining what they measure. Include examples.
  • Creative Coding: Code a math problem that requires converting between metric units. 

More to Explore

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of measurement with these topics: Metric vs. Customary, Customary Units, Precision and Accuracy, and Measuring Matter.

Teacher Support Resources: